WATER AND THE BODY; WE MUSTN’T DRY OUT!
GREG SPINDLER, LMT, CSET
The Importance of Water
Water literally takes care of the entire world. It is no secret that plants, animals, and humans all rely on it in order to have an existence. Yet it might surprise you to know how many people have either forgotten this or have chosen to ignore it. So go ahead, take a break right now and get a glass of water before you read on. It might even help you focus on the reading and retain the information better.
Too many of my clients, friends, and loved ones have trouble consuming adequate water for their individual needs. We need it for our digestive system, for proper nutritional absorption, to lubricate joints, for soft tissue health, for adequate circulation, as a temperature regulator, for excretion functions, and the list goes on. Chronic dehydration plagues our society to an extreme level. Because of this, many people live with illnesses, pain, and diseases that could be prevented. Somehow, we have buried the importance of water and are suffering the consequences.
We have replaced our fluid intake with foreign substances that do more harm than good. To give you a quick idea of how important water is, we can live about a month without a food source, but only about 3-5 days without water. How long have you gone without a source of water? How close to dying have you gotten before you replenished yourself? It might sound funny, but people actually come close to dying before deciding to drink some water! It is my goal through this brief discussion to help people understand why it is important to keep water circulating within and replenishing our bodies on a daily basis.
A chronically dehydrated body is in a survival mode. As a result, the body’s limited water supply is directed to the organs that need it most. Thus, the simplest things like dry skin areas, chapped lips, wrinkles, muscle soreness and abnormal tightness, back pain (from lack of shock absorption or pliability in the vertebrae discs), and other soft tissue issues like fibromyalgia and even chronic fatigue syndrome can result from insufficient water. Under the stress of dehydration, the function of cellular activity is far from 100%. The trillions of cells we are comprised of respond in defense by attempting to hold onto what little water they have. Holding this water in cells is not allowing toxicity to be released or flushed. A toxic environment begins to breed on itself, resulting in unhealthy tissue where disease can manifest. This is just self-poisoning.
Be wary of salt cravings, for this can be an indication of severe dehydration as the body needs more salt to hold onto what water it has under drought conditions. Urine is concentrated with color and has an unpleasant odor.
Headaches like those from hangovers following excessive alcohol (a diuretic) consumption is very often simply a symptom of lack of water.
Speaking of the head, the brain consists and operates on most of the water that is stored in the body. Rightfully so, for it is in charge of everything that we do. When there is not enough water in the body for the brain to function, it can depress the brain and surrounding tissues. Very often this results in poor brain responses which lead to a lack of energy to perform physical movements (motor skills) as well as thought processes. This can further lead to anxiety and other emotional stresses. Could this be part of depression? Most psychiatrists begin with their patients by asking about their water intake. Also, lack of energy in the brain (Brain Fog) that challenges mental alertness from chronic dehydration can bring about the sensation of fatigue and sluggishness because the body simply cannot afford to be active. Activity demands additional water!
Severe dehydration also means insufficient water for digestion. No matter how healthy your diet is, without hydration, your nutrients will not be optimally processed. Poor digestion leads to a toxic crisis in the body, primarily in the intestinal tract.
As a Structural Energetic Therapist (SET), I worry about the effectiveness of my work as clients continue to stay in a dehydrated state. If the demands of the organs and brain whisk away the water in the myofascial systems in order to maintain survival, structural support will be weakened or non-existent. Picture a wilting flower. It is collapsing, but a little bit of water in its foundation (roots) will cause it to stand erect. Ask yourself each hour of the day, “Have I had enough water today?” This simple step could be all you need for more longevity and improved posture throughout the day. Hydration is the key to postural strength.
The Roots of Dehydration
How do so many of us become dehydrated anyway? Where does it all start? Can you think back in your life when you strayed away from water? Or maybe, due to the environment you lived in, you never had the chance to make it a part of your life. I believe that, for many, water does not have the flavor or sugar that we have grown accustomed to from all of the options in the marketplace. For these folks, water does not have the desirable taste of other drinks. This all stems from a lack of education on the effects of poor choices versus water.
Insufficient water consumption could also be a symptom of something else. For some, it could even be an emotional issue. For example, we put ourselves in social situations in which coffee in the morning or an alcoholic drink after work is expected. Moreover, some might fear that declining to join in could be insulting to the host, colleagues, or friends. For children, it could be birthday parties or athletic environments where unlimited refills of drinks full of sugar and chemical additives can lead to more complications in the future. Often, it seems, we choose to put acceptance from others before our health. Doing this repeatedly only creates a habit, routine, or even an addiction (often not realized) that is hard to break. The body then begs for more coffee, tea, soft drinks, or alcohol.
Test Your Hydration
During the day your body can fluctuate in and out of proper levels. You can use muscle testing (applied kinesiology) to test your present state. Ask a friend to participate with you and test each other’s hydration levels. Begin by holding your right arm straight out in front of you. Have your friend apply downward pressure on your arm as you resist by holding your arm upwards. This confirms your normal level of strength. Then repeat the same drill, but this time your friend slightly tugs on a small portion of hair at the scalp (head) while applying pressure on your arm. If the arm goes weak (you are unable to resist your friend’s downward pressure), then hydration is needed. If your arm is strong, your hydration levels are appropriate at that given time.
Our Daily Needs
We hear many people advise us to drink between 8 and 10 (8-12 oz.) glasses of water each day. But, should a person weighing 110 pounds drink the same amount as someone 210 pounds? Let’s try to be more specific to individual needs. Suppose you weigh 200 pounds. Take half of that number which is 100. 100 ounces of water a day would be a great recommendation. Then divide that number by 10. This would give you ten, 10 ounce glasses, not a difficult task. For many, however, this is an inconvenience. I have even heard some say that they do not have enough time to drink water. This is a sad statement since it is much more time consuming to be in poor health.
Drink water even when you are not thirsty. Why? Chronic dehydration ages the human body and dulls its sense of thirst. This is because the hypothalamus gland, the brain’s thirst center, is no longer working at 100%. It is basically exhausted from sending the signals to drink when blood volume has declined and sodium levels have risen. This can cause a rise in blood pressure. Keep in mind that medications also dehydrate the body; so ask your physician or research your medications for possible side effects.
Histamine, the chemical associated with brain messages, is also a player in managing hydration levels in the body. It becomes active when drought levels are reached and inactive when adequate levels are achieved. This is a reason why so many of my clients who are taking anti-histamine drugs and strong pain reliever medications are dehydrated. When we block this precious chemical’s duties, we can become completely unaware of when we are thirsty.
One important point to keep in mind is that certain conditions increase your daily water requirements. Take note of this:
One cup (6-8 ounces) of coffee has the diuretic effect of approximately 8-10 ounces of water. The same goes for a 12 ounce beer. A typical glass of wine is approximately half this. To counteract this, a simple trick is to consume water before and after a caffeinated or alcoholic beverage.
Long air-travel flights can bring your water levels down too. It is important not to drink diuretic drinks (those with caffeine or alcohol) while flying. This could ruin an entire vacation. The immune system must be strong to fight airborne diseases or bacteria while visiting new areas. So many people get sick on travel simply due to improper water levels that would otherwise flush out foreign elements. The body has to suffer from enough stress like time changes, sleep patterns, and postural positions (prolonged sitting). Why give it more stress from lack of water?
Exercise also requires more water. Elimination of water during exercise can be seen through sweat as well as increased exhalation. Drinking water during exercise is a wise habit. Please do not count the water taken in during exercise as part of your daily intake. For those who do aerobic exercise and sometimes exhaust themselves, a sweat rate (loss of water) should be determined. Weigh yourself before exercise, do your routine, then weigh yourself again. Every pound you lose equates to approximately 16 ounces of water. Replenish it soon afterwards. One can see the effects of dehydration by observing some athletes during long endurance events. For the athlete who weighs 160 pounds and loses 4% of his or her body weight (6-7 pounds), the athlete’s performance level can suffer 20-30%. I have seen this countless times in Ironman events.
Establishing new habits starts with a desire and commitment to oneself. It is a decision to choose a refreshing glass or bottle of water over a soft drink, coffee, or tea. Start each day (upon awakening) and end each day (directly before bed) with a glass. This leaves only the remaining glasses to consume during the day.
Try to drink water between meals. Too much water with meals actually dilutes the digestive juices that are needed to break down food. It is suggested to drink 10 ounces of water a half hour before meal times. Drink only minimal amounts with meals.
Here is a guideline for a typical day to help you establish a healthy routine. Drink 8 – 12 ounces at the following times of day:*
6:00 A.M.
9:00 A.M.
10:00 A.M.
11:30 A.M.
2:00 P.M.
3:30 P.M.
5:30 P.M.
9:30 P.M.
* CAUTION: Once a person becomes dehydrated and stays there for an extended period of time, the body can have a hard time normalizing itself. If this applies to you, make sure that, once you return to drinking water, you do not do it too quickly. It is best to gradually increase your intake to meet this schedule. A swelling of the ankles and around the eyes could indicate that you should decrease your intake rate. Consult your medical specialist to learn your proper needs.
In conclusion, you now know some of the most important basics for nourishment and cellular detoxification. Establishing new habits might be challenging at first, but it will give your body the opportunity to return the favor by giving you more energy for a better quality of life. Will results happen quickly? For some, yes while others will need to be a bit more patient. The bottom line is that your body depends on you to give it what it needs.